Mrs. Renz's 4th Grade Class

Theme 1	1-1 Akiak - Story Structure	1-2 Grandfather's Journey - Author's Viewpoint and Author's Purpose	1-3 Finding The Titanic - Text Organization	1-4 By The Shores of Silver Lake - Noting Details
Theme 2	2-1 Tomás and the Library Lady - Sequence of Events	2-2 Tanya's Reunion - Making Inferences	2-3 Boss of the Plains - Making Generalizations	2-4 A Very Important Day - Categorize and Classify
Theme 3	3-1 The Stranger - Noting Details	3-2 Cendrillion - Compare and Contrast	3-3 Heat Wave! - Fantasy and Realism
Theme 4	4-1 My Name is Maria Isabel - Predicting Outcomes	4-2 Marven of the Great Northwest - Problem Solving	4-3 The Last Dragon - Problem Solving	4-4 Sing to the Stars - Story Structure
Theme 5	5-1 Happy Birthday, Dr. King! - Cause & Effect	5-2 Gloria Estefan - Making Judgments	5-3 Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man - Fact and Opinion
Theme 6	6-1 Salmon Summer - Following Directions	6-2 Salmon Summer - Topic, Main Idea & Supporting Details	6-3 Skylark - Making Inferences

Story Structure

The main elements of a story are characters, plot and setting.

	The characters are the people or animals that are in the story.
	The plot is the series of events that take place in a story.
	The setting is the time and place in which the story occurs.

As you read a story you can complete a story map to help you follow the structure of the story. You can start by actually printing out a story map or you can write the answers to these questions. As you get better at it you can do these steps mentally.

Story Map

Main Characters: Who are the main characters in this story? Remember, characters can be human, animals, or even objects in some cases.

Setting: Where is the story taking place? Is it on a ranch, at school, in the wilderness?

Problem Facing the Characters: What happens to the characters in the story? The problem could happen in several steps. List them in order and then list the solution to the problem.

Author's Viewpoint

The author's viewpoint usually refers to the author's opinion, ideas of what is important or attitude. The author might give their opinion directly or you might have to infer the information by reading clues or other information that the author provides. Even the words an author chooses can make a difference. Compare these sentences:

The car roared down the highway.

The car putted down the highway.

Which ones gives you a sense of speed?

One way to help you organize the information to determine the author's viewpoint is to make a word web. In the center you write down what you are trying to determine, for example "Author's Viewpoint". On the web spokes you write down information you can draw from the story (author's focus, author's opinions, author's word choice, author's purpose). From that you should be able to write a brief sentence that tells what the author's feelings are.

Here is a word web about rocks. Make your web like this one but use information from the story you are reading.

Here is a chart for Cinderella

Included

Not Included

Description of Cinderella's home life

Information about her life after she marries the prince

Mice are changed into horses and a pumpkin into a carriage

How did everyone else get to the ball?

Details about how Cinderella looked

Not much detail on the other guests at the ball

The prince conducts a search for the owner of the slipper

Why did the shoe fit only one person? What if it had fit someone else?

Author's Purpose

The author of this fairy tale wanted to set up the story to show that even a poor orphan girl can go from rags to riches. He focuses mostly on Cinderella and her wicked step-sisters but he does not tell us much about the rest of the guests at the ball. Perhaps this is the author's way of showing that the Prince only had eyes for Cinderella and that the rest of the party didn't matter. The magic and suspense all work together to have the reader hoping that Cinderella will make it and live happily ever after. The fact that the author stops the story when he does ( they are getting married) is so that the readers can use their own imaginations to finish the story.

Noting Details

Paying attention to important details can help you to better understand a story. Details can explain ideas, give information, and reveal a character's feelings. If you make a note of the details as you read a story it can help you keep track of what is happening. Use a Detail Map like the one shown below to help you make notes of what is happening.

Detail Map

List things that are happing in the story here	List details from the story here
The Fairy Godmother changes the mice and pumpkin into a coach and horses.	She waves her wand.
	The white mice become white horses.
	The orange pumpkin becomes a golden coach but it is still round like a pumpkin.
	Cinderella is amazed at what she sees.

Noting Details - Story #3-1

Details help the readers see, hear, and feel events in the story.

Details can give readers clues about the author's viewpoint.

Determining which details are important helps readers better understand the story

Text Organization

Text organization is just what it sounds like. It refers to how the text (writing) is organized. The organization of the text can help you understand the selection. It usually includes things like headings, pictures, captions (under the pictures) and charts to help you understand the information. You can organize your own writing by making an organizational outline like the one below.

Headings can help you predict what you will be reading about.

Pictures or illustrations give you context clues about the reading.

Charts can help make the information more clear in a brief format.

Organizational Outline

I. Chapter One

A. Main Idea: ____________________________________________________

B. What the picture (or chart) shows: ___________________________________

II. Chapter Two

A. Main Idea: ____________________________________________________

B. What the picture shows: ___________________________________________

III. Chapter Three

A. Main Idea: ____________________________________________________

B. What the picture shows: ___________________________________________

If the text does not have pictures you can include subtopics after the main idea.

Sequence of Events

Recognizing the sequence, or order, of events in a story makes it easier to understand. Words such a first, later, then, and finally signal sequence.

Making Inferences

Another way to think about an inference is to "read between the lines." You can use clues from the author and experiences from your own life to make inferences about story characters. Ask yourself questions like these: How do the illustrations reflect the mood of the story? How do the characters feel about each other?

Examples:

Aunt Kay moves back to the family farm. She hosts a reunion and collects "memories". She is thrilled to see her sister and grand-niece.

Inference = family is important to Aunt Kay.

Keisha won't leave her mother's side. She cries whenever the rooster crows.

Inference = Keisha is timid

Uncle John removes the fly strip. he offers Tanya breakfast. They play four games of dominoes together.

Inference = He wants Tanya to feel welcome.

Compare and Contrast

Comparing means to find the similarities. Contrasting means to find the differences. Think of this like using Venn Diagram where the things in common would be in the overlapping portion. When you compare one thing with another, it helps readers remember information.

Fantasy and Realism

Don't believe everything you read! Authors sometimes mix realistic, believable details with unbelievable fantasy details. This technique can add humor to a story.

Fantasy involves events that could not happen in real life.

Realism involves events that could happen or that have happened.